1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a moving image anchor setting apparatus and a hypermedia apparatus employing this apparatus, and more particularly to an apparatus for inputting a moving image and setting an anchor to targets and suchlike included in the moving image, to a moving image hypermedia apparatus for linking related information to an anchor set by this apparatus and executing functions such as intended retrieval, and to a moving image providing system utilizing this apparatus in a server-client system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally in previous hypermedia apparatus, the retrieval of information has taken the form whereby a logic unit for linking is created mainly for text or stationary images, the related information is linked to this logic unit, and when the user has clicked this logical unit, the related information is displayed. However, as for example is represented by MPEG relating to the coding and decoding of moving images, in recent years various techniques have been proposed for processing not only stationary images but also moving images. By handling moving images, the range of contents which can be created in the above hypermedia apparatus such as CAI, many types of presentation, and electronic catalogs is expanded. Hitherto, the use of editing of moving images has been some-what limited to the industrial field such as broadcasting stations. But in the future, it is expected rapidly to become widely available as a system for private use based on personal computers.
Japanese Patent Application No. Hei 4-163589 discloses an image processing apparatus capable of setting logical units (therein referred to as "nodes") for moving images. Setting of nodes for a still image is possible only with a specified display range. For a moving image, this apparatus concentrates on (1) a display range and (2) time, specifying the valid continuity period of the nodes and regional range. Thus, for (1), by selecting with a mouse etc. the regions surrounding a subject appearing in a moving image, the node at that time is set; on the other hand for (2), the valid continuity period of the node is specified according to the time elapsed since the start of the output of the moving image. Therefore, this node is determined uniquely according to the region and the time elapsed, and a link can be made for the related information to each node. After a link is made, when the moving image is actually played, if the user clicks a region on the screen with a mouse etc., a node is pinpointed according to the position and time and the related information is displayed.
In the above apparatus, the setting of regions of logical units was performed manually. However, a moving image differs from a stationary image in that there are of course many frames and the position and shape of the subject are constantly changing. In the NTSC system, thirty frames are required for one second. Thus, even a simple calculation shows that when processing a moving image for one second, thirty settings would be required per one logical unit. For example, when creating contents lasting five minutes, if five logical units are set for one frame, the number of settings would amount to 45,000.